Traditional eye shields for sleeping provide an opaque mask that blocks out the ambient light, thereby creating darkness for a user, which simulates the normal nighttime conditions in which people are predisposed to sleep. In addition to darkness, an environment conducive to sleep is also typically quiet, or has a familiar background noise, such as a ticking clock, soothing music, a fan, muffled traffic noise, or the drone of a television. Ear plugs or mufflers can be incorporated into an eye shield for sleeping to attenuate the level of noise. Due to the inherent nature of light and noise, noise is more difficult to mask than light, and devices providing a means to awaken people often utilize an audio stimulating apparatus, such as an alarm buzzer or radio.
There are a number of situations where people wish to sleep, but because conditions are so disturbing that even with eye shields they are unable to sufficiently relax to fall asleep. Examples of situations that can result in sleep deprivation are athletes traveling on the road, miliary personnel in the field or in transit to a new assignment, business men and women on an extended trip, and people that are in unfamiliar sleeping quarters or in a distracting environment; for instance, traveling in a car, bus or airplane, for an extended period. In these situations, what is desired is a sleeping mask that not only screens out light, but also screens out sound. Traditional sleeping masks are relatively effective at screening out light, but tend to be less effective at screening out sound. Those sleep masks that are effective at blocking sound have the limitation that when all sound is blocked or masked, that the masks can pose as a danger, because traditional public alarm systems are audio, and cannot be heard. Therefore, it is not desired that not all sound be screened out, as it is anticipated that there will be circumstances when sounds, and especially certain alarms, words, and phrases can and should be heard. What is needed is a sleeping mask that preferably has a voice recognition system that allows alarms and designated words and phrases to be clearly audible.
Particularly in the case of athletes and military personnel, when it is often imperative that the individuals awake at a precise time in order to prepare for an event or a mission at a specified time, what is needed is a sleeping mask that has a timing means that the user can set to awaken them after an elapsed time, or at a desired time.
Many individuals have become accustomed to sleeping or being induced to a sleep state by listening to music or other background sound. A variety of synthetic mood sounds, such as the sound of moving water, wind, and birds, have been available for some time to help people sleep. In the absence of the music or the other background sounds, these individuals have a very hard time falling asleep. Therefore, what is needed is a sleeping mask that has the option of incorporating a transducer, such as head phones, to create background music or sound. To a lesser extent, other individuals have become accustomed to sleeping or being induced to a sleep state by a combination of video and audio background (i.e., television or a monitor). For these individuals, what is needed is a sleeping mask that has the option of incorporating a second type of transducer, such as a video display.
The preferred sleeping mask has multiple features for blocking out the ambient noise, generating soothing background sound, and awakening options. What is further desired is an ergonomically easy means to control these features. As previously stated, the desired sleeping mask has a voice recognition system, and what is further needed is a voice recognition system that is command driven and interactive. For example, the voice recognition system should have voice control of the volume of the transducer, so that the volume of the alarm or music can be altered. The voice recognition system should have verbal command control over the selection of the music, and the timer. What is further needed is voice activated control over an interface, where the interface may enable a cell phone to initiate a call, or to connect to a computer, an audio playing device, an audio synthesizer device, a pager, an MP3 player, or a receiver.